Chocolate Condensed Milk Cake

I think this is one of the most sinful chocolate cakes ever. So we eat it regularly, lol.

It's great to snack on during long, festive weekends, to bake when you have kids and teenagers at home, and to take to a barbecue or potluck. 

A crowd-pleaser like you wouldn't believe it. Or maybe you would. Some say it's the best chocolate cake I make. That's debatable because, you know, we already have the chocolate bourbon cake in the archives. But still.

It appeals to everyone, comes together really quickly, and has that magic ingredient that is condensed milk. Really people, what recipe isn't great that has condensed milk? I dare you. I can give enough proof with the Margarita Key Lime Pie, the best chocolate fudge EVER, and my favorite Sweet Potato Pie. The proof is in the pudding, definitively.

The frosting alone can be eaten with a spoon, that's how addicting it is. 

So let's get on with the recipe. 

Ingredients

The list is simple and most you probably have at home right now. If not all. I keep cocoa powder and condensed milk in my pantry at all times. As usual, the best quality ingredients give the best results. 

• Cocoa powder: always use unsweetened cocoa powder. I like Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder, Ghirardelli Premium baking cocoa, and Scharffen Berger natural cocoa powder. In my experience, the dark ones are the best (this does not apply to the super dark used for making homemade oreo cookies known as 'dark cocoa powder').
• Sweetened condensed milk: it's a must ingredient and can't be substituted. Use the regular type such as Carnation condensed milk or Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk, not unsweetened or evaporated milk.
• Brown sugar: it makes a subtle difference in flavor and moistness, but you can use regular white sugar if that's all you have. 
• Unsalted butter.
• Eggs: fresh, large.
• Powdered sugar: also called icing sugar or confectioners' sugar, it's powder-like and needed to create that crackly top. A popular brand is Domino confectioner sugar.
• Flour: both all-purpose and cake flour work well for this recipe.
• Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
• Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works. 
• Cinnamon: it adds depth to the overall flavor, but you can omit it. I like Frontier Vietnamese cinnamon and Simply Organic Ceylon cinnamon. For other flavorings, you can use pure almond extract or coffee extract, they go very well with the rest of the ingredients. 

How to make this cake

• Stovetop: the first step takes place on the stove, where you need to mix butter with cocoa, and water. Remove when it breaks into a boil. This will ensure the cocoa dissolves well and 'blooms' which means the flavor will be deeper.
• Dry ingredients: they need to be sifted. Do so in a large bowl where you'll be mixing the chocolate batter.
• Condensed milk: you'll be using a whole can but will be divided. You'll use ⅓ of the can for the cake batter and the rest for the chocolate glaze. I eyeball it, but if you're uncomfortable doing that, you can measure or weigh it first and divide it accordingly.
• Final batter: it's quite thin, so I recommend you pour it into the prepared pan near the oven.

The sweetened condensed milk frosting

It's essential to make this such a decadent chocolate cake recipe.

The frosting or icing should be sweet, crackly, and with enough chocolate flavor. This one checks all the boxes, of course. That's why we love it so much. 

Variation: sprinkle some chopped walnuts on the icing after you pour it over the hot cake. 

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Kitchen notes

• Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
• Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
• Icing or glaze: always pour it over the warm cake so it seeps a little into the top of the cake. Or make a poke cake: pierce or poke holes with a brochette stick or toothpick on the surface of the cake when it comes out of the oven. Then pour the chocolate icing over them. It will seep more into the baked cake and the whole thing will be fudgier. 
• Cake pan: I use a rectangular pan without a removable bottom and serve the cake straight from the pan. This is because when you pour the frosting some of it goes to the sides, and spills down the bottom sometimes. But you can use a pan with removable bottom, refrigerate the cake after you glaze it and then remove it before serving.
• Fudgier cake: if you slightly underbake the cake, it will be fudgier. And even more amazing in my opinion!
• Walnuts: sometimes, I sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of the icing before it sets. 
• Serving it: I like it as is, straight from the pan. But you can recreate the so-called 'better than sex cake' by adding a thick layer of whipped cream (or cool whip topping), drizzling caramel sauce or dulce de leche over it, and adding chopped heath bars or toffee bits on top. A decadent dessert for those with a sweet tooth!
• Variation: for a more sophisticated version, add a tablespoon of your favorite liquor (I love Kahlua, Baileys, and Cointreau) to the batter and the icing. Or whisky/bourbon; it works so well with chocolate. Did I tell you about my favorite cake, the Bourbon Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake? It's beyond amazing.